Bedpan



DE MERLE E. ECKART ETAL 2,604,534

July 29, 1952 BEDPAN Filed Nov. 26, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 1' a mm mm m m R. M

ATTOFNFY y 29,1952 DE MERLE E. ECKART ETAL 2,604,634

BEDPAN 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1948 Patented July 29, 1952 {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I De'Merle E. Eckart, Abilene, and John R.

' Rosenleaf, Enterprise, Kans.

Application November 26, 1948, Serial No. 62,114

6 Claims. 1 Thelpresent invention relates to a bed pan, and more particularly to a' device intended tobe normally supported beneath a hospital bed upon suitable means whereby it may be projected upwardly through an opening in the mattress and into use position. The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel form of bed pan so constructed that, when supported in the manner above defined, and when projected into use position, it will substantially conform to, and lie substantially in contact with, the pelvic floor and the dorsal region of the trunk of a patient on the mattress, whereby the evacuating functions of the body may be accomplished with a maximum of convenience and a minimum of discomfort to the patient. More particularly, the bed pan of the present invention is so designed that the patient, whether supine or slightly elevated, may rest comfortably upon the mattress during the evacuation processes, while being assured that ejected material will be effectively received by the bed pan. It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure whereby colonic material may be ejected in a. direction substantially parallel with the surface of the mattress upon which the patient is supine, andwill be properly received in the bed pan upon such ejection. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, our invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific constructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims'is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a plan view, more or less diagrammatic, of a portion of a human body in supine position with our bed pan in position of use;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the nozzle portion of one form of our invention;

Fig." 4 is a perspective view of a support element;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmental, vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 of Fig. 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing portions of a receptacle and a nozzle in assembled relation with the support element of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of container embodying certain features of our invention; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view somewhat similar to Fig. 2 but showing the container of Fig. 6 in use position.

Referring more particularlyto the form of invention illustrated'in Figs. 1 to 5, it will be seen that we have shown a mattress 10 provided with an opening ll through which may be projected a container indicated generally by" the reference numeral [2. The opening II is so positioned that, when a patient is lying comfortably on the mattress ID, the patients pelvic floor, indicated by the reference numeral [3, is disposed within a projection of the region defined by the opening II. The container I 2, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention,

comprises a receptacle I 4 suitably supported uponactuating means indicated generally by the reference numeral [5, and provided with a nozzle portion l6. The receptacle l4 may take any suitable form and may be made of any suitable material, and is preferably valved inaccordance with the disclosures of our co-pending application Serial No. 62,113, filed November 26, 1948 for Valved Bed Pan. The actuating mechanism formed of disposable material such "as waxed cardboard or the like. Preferably, but not necessarily,v the receptacle [4 will be formed of disposable material and will be separable with respect to the nozzle I6. Alternatively, the nozzle I6 and the receptacle l4 may be integral, and formed of any suitable material.

No matter which of. the above forms is taken by the container I2, the nozzle portion will be formed to provide an open mouth defined by substantially-horizontal, generally parallel lip portions l1 and IB joined at 19, said substantially horizontal portions l1 and I8 merging, through smooth curves, with substantially vertical, parallel lip portions 20. and 2 I. In a preferred form of the invention, the horizontal length of the lip portions I! and 18 will be approximately one inch, and the vertical length of'the lip portions 20 and '21 will be approximately seven inches,

said lip portions being spaced apart approximately two inches. The horizontal distance from the point l9 to the rear wall 22 of the nozzle will be approximately three and one-half inches.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the upper ends of the lip portions 20 and 2| will be inturned as at 23 and 24 to round off the upper-end of the nozzle and we presently prefer to leave the upper ends of the lateral walls of the nozzle separated to provide an opening 25 to facilitate a poured douche or the administration of an enema with the bed pan in use position.

At its lower end, the nozzle I8 is formed to 7 provide a continuous base portion or collar 26.

The receptacle I4 is formed to provide an open,

upwardly-directed mouth 21 proportioned and J designed to receive snugly the base portion 26 of,

the nozzle It in telescoped relation; and we presently prefer to support the container l2 by means of a spring clip 28. adapted to embrace the container in that region of the receptacle which is reinforced by the reception therein of the base 28 of the nozzle. Thus, thespring clip performs the dual function of clamping the receptacle M and the, nozzle in assembled relation; and supporting the assembly. .Preferably, the clip 28 will comprise resiliently separable fingers whose ireeends are spaced apart, and resiliently movabletowa'rd and away from each other, in a direction substantially parallel with the minor rim portions l1 and I8; That arrangement permits iateralwithdrawal of the container [2 from the grip of the clip 28, by movement of the container in a direction transverse to the length of the bed with which it is associated, after the actuating" means l5'has been operated to'depress the container, removing it from theopening I I.

The spring clip 28 is supportedupon a metal strap 29 which, in turn, is suitably supported upon the actuating means I 5.

The lateral width of the pelvic floor of the average human trunk isapproximattely two inches. Therefore, with the patients leg-s 3-0 and 3| in relaxed and substantially parallel position, the nozzle 16 can be projectedupward-ly between the inner surfaces 32 and 33 of the patients legs in the 'manner clearly i-llustratedin Figs. 1 and 2;

and, if the patient is in proper'positionrelative to the opening H, the major lip portions and 2| will lie in contact with the pelvic floor l3 substantially at the lateral extremities of the floor. The length of the pelvic floor of the average human trunk, ina frontal-dorsal direction, is

container comprising an outer receptacle 40 adapted to be supported upon actuating mechanism l5 through the medium of a swivelling bracket 4|, and an inner receptacle 42 having a nozzle portion 43. The nozzle portion 43 is provided with an open mouth defined by minor lip portions 44 and 45 merging at Mi, and joined, through smooth curves, with major lip portions 41 andllt'. In this form' 'of theinvention, the

walls defining the lip portions 41 and 4 8 taper toward each other and join in a nose 4-9 in the manner more fully described in our co-pending application Serial No, 62,112, filed November 26, '1948' for Bed Pan Device. '45; 46,4! and 48, in this form of the invention,

The lip portions 44,

are similar in character to the corresponding portions ll, l8, I9, 20 and Zlof the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, though the proportioning is somewhat different, wherebythe projection of the 'lip portions- 44 and 45 alon the d'orsal-portion of'the patients trunk is somewhat longe'r. 'Also,- -in this" form of the invention, the upper end of the nozzle closed for a reason which is not pertinent to I the present invention, so that the administrationof enemas and douches is somewhat lesseonvenient with this form of the invention. =-The manner ofcooperati-on of the bedpan otFigs. Sand 7 with the pelvic region of the patients tru-nlr however,"is substantially substantially. six inches; Thus, with thenozzleit in use position, wherein the point of merger 19 between the lipportions l1 and I8 is substantially in contact with the dorsal portion of the base of the patients trunk, the upper end of thenozzle will project slightly above the upper-sur faces of the patients legs. It will be seen that, with the bed pan in use position, the termini of the evacuation passages of the body are'disp'osed within the mouth of the nozzle, but eifectivelyv guarded by thelip portions ll, [8, 20, and 2L;

At the sametime; since the forward ends of the lip portions-"l1 and I8 are curved sharply inwar'dlytojoin at the point I9, even thou h those lip portions maybe in contact with the' dorsal portion 34 of the base of the trunk, substantially no pressureis exerted thereby againstthe patient, since the patient-is supported by the'swelling portionsof the buttocks 35 upon the region 36erthe -mattress immediately adjacent the opening In Figs. 6 and '7 we have shown another form of similar to that'cfthe form illustrated 'in' Figs. 1 .5 I .r We claim'as our invention:

1. The combination with a bed pan compris-' ing a container havingan open mouth bounded by generally parallel rims, 1 said rims having portions laterally spaced aparta distance sub.- stantially equal to the normal width of the pelvic floor of a human, body'and being substantially vertically disposed, said rims, further having portions merging, with said" first-named portions through smooth curves and substantially horizontally disposed, saidlast-nam'ed portions sub stantially conforming to the dorsal portion of the base of a human: trunk when saidfirstnamed portions lie in contact with the pelvic floor of such trunk, of support means for said bed pan comprising, 'a spring clip having resiliently separable fingers cooperatively supportingly embracing the body of said container below said rims.

2..The combination of claim l-in, which said fingers are provided with spaced tips free; to"

container exceedingthe. thickness of a conven tional bed mattress and springs increased by a dimension at least'equal to. the normal frontaldorsetl length of such pelvic floor, and thefront of said nozzle portion being open from. the upper end thereof, and curving outwardly toward'the front where it converges. with thetop of the receptacle portion.

4. A bed pan comprising a vertically elon gated container of substantially uniform, substantially elliptical cross-section from end to distance at least equal to the normal. frontaldorsal length of such pelvic floor to define a nozzle. portion and to permit projection of a dorsal portion of the base of a human trunk into said container through the front of said container, the minor diameter of said container cross section extending between lateral walls of said receptacle and being substantially equal to the normal width of the pelvic door of a human body, and the length of said container below the lower end of said nozzle portion being at least equal to the conventional thickness of .a bed mattress and spring, the lower end oi said receptacle being closed.

5. In a bed pan, in combination, a receptacle having an open mouth, a nozzle having one end telescopically associated with the mouth of said receptacle, said nozzle being provided, adjacent its opposite end, with an opening bounded by generally parallel rims, said rims having portions laterally spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the normal width of the pelvic floor of a human body and being substantially vertically disposed, said rims further having portions merging with said first-named portions through smooth curves and substantially horizontally disposed, said last-named portions substantially conforming to the dorsal portion of the base of a human trunk when said first-named portions lie in contact with the pelvic floor of such trunk, and support means for said receptacle and nozzle assembly, said support means including means resiliently engaging said assembly in the region of telescopic association between said receptacle and said nozzle.

6. In a bed pan, in combination, a receptacle formed of flexible material and having an open mouth, a nozzle having a generally tubular, rigid base telescopically received in the mouth of said receptacle, said nozzle being provided, adjacent its opposite end, with an opening bounded by generally parallel rims, said rims having portions laterally spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the normal width of the pelvic floor of a human body and being substantially vertically disposed, said rims further having portions merging with said first-named portions through smooth curves and substantially horizontally disposed, said last-named portions sub- 'stan'tiallyv conforming to the dorsal portion of the base 01" a human trunk when said firstnamed portionslie in contact with the pelvic floor of such trunk, and support means for said receptacle and nozzle assembly, said support means including means resiliently embracing said receptacle in the region thereof in which said nozzle base is received to secure said receptacle and nozzle against separation.

DE M'ERLE E. ECKART. JOHN R. ROSENLEAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Sept. 2, 1903 

